The Rundown: Are Republicans more energized for the midterms?
Plus, more than 1,500 Lincoln artifacts were pulled from a Springfield museum. Here’s what you need to know today.
By Bianca CsekeThe Rundown: Are Republicans more energized for the midterms?
Plus, more than 1,500 Lincoln artifacts were pulled from a Springfield museum. Here’s what you need to know today.
By Bianca CsekeGood afternoon! It’s Wednesday, and those who haven’t been able to get verified on Twitter may soon be able to buy their way into the club. Here’s what you need to know today.
1. Republicans are more enthusiastic than Democrats to vote in the midterms, a new NPR poll finds
Some of the Democratic Party’s most important bases are among the least energized about voting in next week’s midterm elections, the latest poll from NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist found.
As NPR reports: “While white women with college degrees, who are an important bloc for Democrats, are among the most enthusiastic to vote, Black voters, Latinos and young voters are among the least.
At the same time, older voters, Trump voters, white evangelical Christians and rural voters — all key GOP groups — are fired up to vote. Those without college degrees are less enthusiastic about the election, but that’s driven by voters of color without degrees.” [NPR]
Meanwhile, concerns about political violence are growing within federal agencies. An internal bulletin warned of a heightened threat from domestic violent extremists in the coming weeks, NPR reports. However, there haven’t been any specific threats of targeted violence. [NPR]
2. An anti-JB Pritzker PAC may be trying to suppress the Black vote in Chicago
Some residents on the city’s South and West sides have received leaflets discouraging them from voting for Gov. JB Pritzker.
As the Chicago Sun-Times reports, the flyers “slam Pritzker over crime, schools, jobs, taxes and cannabis licenses in Black communities — a conflation of city and state issues that includes distortions of the governor’s overall record.”
The flyers and signs are bankrolled by the People Who Play by the Rules political action committee, which is run by GOP political operative and talk show host Dan Proft.
Yet there is no mention of Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, and political operatives who spoke to the newspaper said the intent appears to be to lower Black voter turnout for Pritzker. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Proft is also responsible for the fake newspapers Illinois residents have been receiving that push Republican talking points and do not formally disclose their partisan affiliations. [NPR]
3. The Fed once again raised interest rates
In a continued effort to bring down inflation, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by another three-quarters of a point today, The New York Times reports.
It’s the sixth time the Fed has raised rates this year as inflation stays stubbornly high.
Fed officials say they understand interest rate moves take time to have a significant effect on the economy, which might mean they’ll slow down the increases soon. [New York Times]
But even if the interest rate hikes don’t seem to be affecting inflation, higher borrowing costs are slowing down the housing market, and experts say other parts of the economy are also down. [NPR]
4. More than 1,500 Lincoln artifacts were pulled from a Springfield museum
The removal of the valuable items is the result of an acrimonious relationship between the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and a private foundation, my colleague Dave McKinney reports.
The foundation was established about two decades ago to fundraise and acquire valuable Lincoln pieces for the state-run tourist destination.
“The foundation and museum are at odds over the $8 million-plus still owed for the purchase of the unique collection, and this week the foundation made the stunning decision to remove the collection, leaving its future and the public’s access to it uncertain,” McKinney writes.
Among the items removed were the blood stained fan Mary Todd Lincoln was carrying the night her husband was assassinated at Ford’s Theater, Lincoln’s walking sticks and some of his early writings. [WBEZ]
5. Biologists say owl attacks are becoming more common
As if we don’t have enough to be scared of right now, a woman in the state of Washington was recently attacked by a barred owl — twice. And she’s not the only one who’s experienced something similar over the past few years.
The woman, Kirsten Mathisen, was walking alone in the woods near her home when the first attack happened. She says she didn’t provoke the owl and tried to stay away from its territory after the first onslaught. But the owl soon struck again, this time on her driveway.
“The more you reduce the places where an owl can nest, the more likely it’s going to be nesting somewhere in close proximity to humans,” Jonathan C. Slaght, a wildlife biologist, told NPR. “If they’re kind of amped up and a fox walks by, a deer walks by, a human walks by, whatever, they’ll pop down and try to chase it off.” [NPR]
And owl attacks aren’t limited to the Pacific Northwest. In Illinois, a pet Chihuahua in Crystal Lake was attacked in 2011. [CBS Chicago]
Here’s what else is happening
Gov. JB Pritzker moved to make abortion more accessible to people in prisons. [WBEZ]
CVS and Walgreens are close to a $10 million opioid settlement deal. [New York Times]
A man was charged with sending GOP hopeful Darren Bailey a voicemail death threat. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Kids Ask: Why do schools do lockdown drills? [WBEZ]
Oh, and one more thing …
The spread of misinformation has not spared Illinois. In fact, a wealthy couple from suburban Chicago has sent millions of dollars to Republican candidates across the nation who have perpetuated former President Donald Trump’s false claims of fraud in the 2020 election.
Today, my colleagues at WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times take a look at how those unsubstantiated claims hang over some Illinois races — and what state officials are doing to ensure the integrity of elections. [WBEZ]
Tell me something good …
I don’t feel like cooking for Thanksgiving this year, so which local restaurant should I splurge on to celebrate? Feel free to reply to this email, and your answer might be included in this week’s newsletter.
Linda says:
“Big Guys Sausage Stand in Berwyn cooks up an outstanding, flavorful, plentiful Thanksgiving Day meal! Turkey, sausage and sage stuffing, whiskey glazed ham and all the sides. Spend time with family…forget the kitchen hassle. And you might even be offered a hot drink at pick up time! Our second year ordering, and it’s a new tradition.”